


You will be my last assignment

by MrDefira



Series: Unconventional Resources [1]
Category: Imperial Agent - Fandom, Star Wars, The Old Republic
Genre: Chiss, Cipher Nine - Freeform, Gen, Imperial Agent - Freeform, Imperial Agent spoilers, Imperial Intelligence, Star Wars - Freeform, The old Republic - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-15
Updated: 2014-08-15
Packaged: 2018-02-13 06:38:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2140869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrDefira/pseuds/MrDefira
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aranth'ess'anrokini is a newly appointed Cipher Agent, ready to prove her worth and serve the Empire, in a galaxy on the knife-edge of war. However, before she is sent on her next mission, she is assigned a new ally, one that may prove to be more of a hindrance... or a liability.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You will be my last assignment

**Author's Note:**

> So this is headcanon fic about the OC Imperial Agents belonging to myself and Defira. Their meeting and clashing of personalities and how the Imperial Agent storyline affects them both. I don't know how long it will end up being. It WILL have spoilers about the Imperial Agent storyline so please don't read if you don't want to know.

“Walk with me, Cipher Nine.” It wasn’t a request but Keeper had that knack of not making it sound like an order. Thessa made a mental note to determine how he did this and practice in private. Imperial Intelligence was a mass of winding corridors that didn’t necessarily seem to lead anywhere. Up until now she had assumed it was to impede any form of infiltration but it also was advantageous for an aimless wander-conversation. Wandersation. She had to force down the grin that came from the arise of a new word. Keeper was talking right now.

“I need you to understand that this is not a lack of trust on our part. You have earned your designation and Imperial Intelligence has complete confidence in your abilities. Perhaps it is best to consider it a formality. As a Cipher Agent, you will be undertaking less conventional assignments and making use of unconventional resources. Intelligence is providing you with an unconventional resource. Is that clear?”

 _No! I was too busy thinking about the layout of this facility and making new contributions to Galactic Standard language!_  
“Yes, Keeper.” Thessa replied, internally berating herself and swearing that one day, she would stop being so flighty. The meandering corridor ended abruptly, at a door no different to any other in Imperial Intelligence.

“Excellent. He is right through here.”

...........

He was Chiss. That was the first thing to register for Thessa. It occurred to her, in that moment that it had been some months since the last time she’d encountered another Chiss, even if it was through a two-way mirror.. She looked over to Keeper, searching for any tell-tale sign as to what this was all about. Alas, his face remained impassive and she was resigned to turn her attention back.

“I thought it best to allow you this opportunity to form your own impressions of him before any direct interaction takes place. I invite you to take your time, Cipher Nine. Put your training to good use and tell me what you see.”

Despite feeling slightly voyeuristic, Thessa took a long, calming breath and turned a critical eye to the mirror. “First impression- He is Chiss like myself… or at least he is well-disguised. Superficial scarring to right jaw… old but not properly treated in the past. Keeper, Imperial Intelligence covers the cosmetic repair of such blemishes. It should not be visibly present at all and yet it is.”

“It IS a rather ugly mess. He has not been forthcoming with regards to its persistence. I understand many races hold visible scars in high respect. However, as you well know, your people do not and I can assure you that he hasn’t turned to such primitive thinking. Please, go on.”  
Thessa felt a wave of relief. She’d assumed correctly that he was Imperial Intelligence. The way he sat had given that much away to her. Perhaps, she thought, I can get through this without embarrassment. What else was there? His clothing was saying quite a bit. A calf length, grey coat. Slightly too big as if he was trying to lose himself in it. It’d certainly seen better days. The gloves were another matter. If she wasn’t mistaken, those were military issue field medic gloves. Someone had painted them a ridiculous shade of green and it may have fooled others. He was proud of these. Unlike the coat, these looked to fit him perfectly.

“He’s disgraced… or at least feels disgraced. Perhaps a mistake in surgery. He’s hiding from something.”

Keeper breathed out contentedly. “Rather astute, Cipher Nine. Although your guess is not correct, you are honing in on a weakness. His previous medical experience is also of note. It may be an avenue of common interest to exploit. Never forget that like any tool, a potential ally must be stripped apart to…”

Keeper was cut off by the subject behind the glass who had suddenly turned to face them and say, “You can stop talking about me now. It’s very rude and I think it’s about time I got to speak to someone instead of staring at my own reflection.” Although he wasn’t staring directly at either of them, Thessa felt a dread chill run up her back. He paused a moment and then concluded, “Forty Six,” Before turning back to his original position.

Keeper’s brow wrinkled for a moment.

“It seems Thake is being extra generous with us today.” Thessa turned to him, her cheeks hot, flushed with indignant embarrassment. She’d been set up all along, been tricked into broadcasting her opinions of him and made to look like a fool. What was Keeper doing? What was the purpose of this exercise other than to make her angry and distrustful?

“I fail to see how any of this is generous, Sir.”

For the first time since entering the room, Keeper turned his full attention to her.  
“That’s simply because you don’t know Thake yet. It is generous, firstly because he expressed a desire to talk to you, and secondly because he’s been content to sit patiently in that dull room long enough to make that statement forty-five times previously, to a blank wall.”

Thessa took a moment to digest all this and decided that she was still not entirely convinced that this _Thake_ had not heard…  
“Wait a minute. Thake? That isn’t a Chiss name at all.”

…….

“Hello. I am Aranth’ess’anrokini. You may just call me ‘Thessa’ if you like.” The words were out of her mouth before she realized just how little he seemed to care. There was an uncomfortable pause in which Thessa would have expected a reciprocatory response. Instead, he looked her up and down several times before kicking out the chair opposite to him. Instead of sliding out smoothly towards her, it toppled over with an echoing clatter of metal before coming to rest half a metre from her boots. Whether he had kicked it over intentionally or not, he gave no indication but Thessa noted with pride that she hadn’t flinched at all.

Stooping down to fetch the chair, Thessa slid it back into place.  
“I’ll stand for the moment, thank you, and please don’t feel that you need to be any more of a gentleman. I assure you I am quite capable of pulling out my own chair.” There may have been a flicker of disappointment, hurriedly suppressed. _Childish attention seeker, no doubt. An unconventional resource indeed, Keeper. There had better be a point to all this._

“It is my understanding that you have been assigned to me. Keeper was not specific as to your role but I assure you, Agent, that your capabilities will be a most welcome asset.” Her sentence was barely finished before he stood abruptly, a look of utter contempt painted over his face.

“Is this some kind of a joke? Who are you and why are you trying to appear so stupid right now?”

Thessa blanched momentarily, “I’m afraid I don’t…”

“Agent? I assume you are one despite evidence to the contrary.” Thessa’s cheeks were now flushed with fury, her red eyes thinning aggressively. She was already formulating the polite refusal she would be giving to Keeper as soon as she was out of this room.  
“Well? Are you?”

“Yes. I am an Agent. My designation is Cypher Nine and you will address me with the respect such a designation deserves.” She had begun leaning forwards menacingly. Her lack of height would mean that placing her hands on the desktop would have seemed almost comical. Instead, she kept them balled up as fists by her side. “I don’t know where you received your training but it is horrifically lax and I will not tolerate such insult, Agent.”

“I am not…!” He bellowed furiously and attempted to flip the table over. Upon realizing after several tugs, that the table was firmly screwed to the floor, he instead leapt up onto the table and crouched like a predator, his nose an inch away from her own. “I am NOT an Agent. Not anymore. Don’t you dare call me that again.” His eyes were slits, mirroring Thessa’s. Tense silence hung between them, each daring the other to make the next move.

Suddenly, the anger was gone. He slid back behind the desk and sat back down. His voice once again even, he proclaimed “Good. Very good,” Then announced to the mirror, “She will do fine, Keeper. Please do not be waiting for us outside.”


End file.
